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Thursday, 24 May 2007 |
The fourth round of the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship
takes place on Saturday 2nd June as the Royal Welsh Showground in
Builth Wells is set to welcome the 150 crews who will descend on the
Welsh market town to do battle in the various classes on the Severn
Valley National Rally.
With the series at a crucial stage, the winners on this event will give
some pointers towards the title, especially as a finish is vitally
important for some crews rather than others.
Championship leader Steve Perez, along with co driver Claire Mole,
flies back from the Barbados Rally Carnival to defend his 17 point lead
in the series and has so far finished on the ANCRO podium at every
round this season. But the Chesterfield driver knows that dropped
scores have yet to come into play so will be looking for another
maximum in his Ford Focus WRC.
However, leading the field away at 8.00am on Saturday morning will be
2005 winners, Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery who have beaten Perez on
the two rounds they have finished this season, their only blot being a
low speed roll which forced them out of the Border Counties Rally and
again the Hyundai Accent pairing are strong contenders.
Another former Severn Valley winning crew, Roger Duckworth and Mark
Broomfield (Subaru WRC) took maximum ANCRO points in the Isle of Man
last time out, to add to their runner up placing on the Border Counties
after their season got off to the worst possible start with a
non-finish on Rallye Sunseeker.
The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is responsible for fifteen
of the entries in the National event and Ulsterman Neil McCance will be
attempting to make it two maximum points scores in a row after a superb
result last time out on the RBS International Manx Rally in his Lancer
EVO9. But fellow countryman Philip Morrow will be tough to beat as he
heads the series from local heroes Sebastian Ling and Julian Reynolds
whilst in the Subaru Group N Trophy, Scotsman Jock Armstrong will be
looking to make it four wins in a row in his Impreza.
Other registered Championship contenders include the awesome Andy
Burton in his radical Peugeot Cosworth and the Subaru of Nigel
Griffiths whilst Mark Gamble (Citroen) and Rod Bennett (Fiat) will be
battling for honours in the VK1400 and HPM Motorsport 2WD Challenges
respectively.
The event also incorporates a round of the 2007 Hankook Rally Challenge
series with Yorkshireman Steve Magson (Opel Ascona) hoping to repeat
his round one victory on the Red Kite Stages in January and as well as
the various Clubman’s classes, there will be a round of the M-Sport
Fiesta Sporting Trophy.
Further information, including championship positions can be found at www.gravelrally.co.uk
SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Spectators are welcome on the Severn Valley National Rally at the following locations:
Friday 1st June
Scrutineering: 14.00 - 18.30 Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells
Saturday 2nd June
Start: 08.00 Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells
Crychan 08.49 11-mile stage. Enter car park @
MR 160/849411, Parking on Forestry Commission roads (£5). Direct access
to a series of wide hairpin bends near to finish of stage. Approach
ONLY from Cynghordy on A483, 7 miles south of Llanwrytd Wells. DO NOT
go through Tirabad or attempt to access the stage via the Epynt
Military Ranges, which will have live firing in operation.
Halfway 14.08 6-mile gravel stage. Spectator
parking on Forestry Commission roads (£5 per car). Entry off A40 from
east of Halfway Village @ MR 160/835327.Access to two mid-stage
spectator areas with excellent viewing of a selection of bends/jcts. NO
ACCESS TO HALFWAY FOREST FROM EPYNT MILITARY RANGES. LIVE FIRING WILL
BE TAKING PLACE ON THOSE PARTS OF THE RANGES NOT IN USE BY THE RALLY.
FINISH 16:00 The Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells.
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